


Laugh and Love

by kopycat_101



Series: Nathmarc November [14]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adorable Marc Anciel, Bisexual Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Boys In Love, Cute, Cute Ending, Cute Kids, Dorks, Dorks in Love, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friendship, Gay Marc Anciel, Getting Together, Laughter, Love Confessions, M/M, Marc Anciel Has an Anxiety Disorder, Mutual Pining, Slash, Teen Crush, Teen Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:14:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27561343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kopycat_101/pseuds/kopycat_101
Summary: Marc isn’t used to laughing around others. At least, others that aren’t his mothers.Nathaniel’s made it his mission to get Marc to laugh as much as possible.
Relationships: Marc Anciel & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Series: Nathmarc November [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994782
Comments: 10
Kudos: 39





	Laugh and Love

**Author's Note:**

> For NathMarc November Day 14: Laugh.
> 
> More headcanons and fluff time! Love these boys. You go, you funky little gays.

* * *

Marc isn’t used to laughing around others. At least, others that aren’t his mothers.

He’s a nervous person by nature. His Mom would always say that he was shy since he was a toddler, would hide behind her leg when guests were around. Marc seemingly never grew out of that natural anxiety, either, the need to hide and make himself small and shy away from newcomers.

It’s easier to try and hide his reactions to things, because if he doesn’t give one, then people can’t take it and twist it to their liking. He’s bad at hiding his feelings, has always felt too much and had an expressive face and eyes, so it doesn’t work particularly well. But he’s been mocked for a lot of things. How girly he looks, the squeaky way he sounds when he giggles, how shy he was, the way he stuttered when he spoke, his loner status, how he turns into a complete space case when he’s absorbed in his writing.

Really, the list goes on and on.

If Marc doesn’t react or say anything, then that’s less ammunition he gives to people to mock him over.

So it takes a bit, to get used to laughing around others again. To go from just smiling and beating down the bubbling mirth in his chest, huffing through his nose. Maybe letting out a faint chuckle, or a snort. Pressing his knuckles against his mouth as his body shook with repressed laughter. To go from hiding his laughter, to letting it bloom, bursting from his chest and falling from his lips.

Marc finds himself laughing around Marinette, and Alix, and Rose and Juleka, all in Art Club. Finds himself loosening up around them.

And then there’s Nathaniel.

Marc’s…hesitant, at first. His crush on the artist makes him nervous around the other, tentative. Makes him want to bite his lip to bite down his reactions, in case he accidentally does something that’ll get Nathaniel to think he’s weird and not want to work on the comic with him anymore.

But they spend time together. A lot of time. More time than Marc spends with anyone that’s not his own mothers, sitting and working together during Art Club, meeting during lunch, before school, after school. Even during weekends.

Nathaniel is a naturally funny person. He’s sarcastic and witty, a bit awkward, but overall someone that Marc gets comfortable around. The way he says things sometimes, it’s just… He’s charming and funny.

Nathaniel can make Marc laugh. Make him forget his own nerves and self-consciousness of his crush and his actions, enough that Marc can just…let go. And laugh. Laugh loud and long, endless giggling or amused snickering or a sharp bark or a belly-deep laugh that warms his body and rattles his bones.

The writer feels…grateful. That he’s able to be close enough to others enough to let himself laugh with them. That he’s found a group of such kind people he can be himself with.

* * *

Nathaniel’s made it his mission to get Marc to laugh as much as possible.

Marc’s a super anxious person, the artist quickly finds. But he also realizes that Marc tends to hide it when he thinks something is funny, hides his laughs by biting his lips and shaking silently, or covering his mouth with his hand.

Nathaniel’s original goal was to get Marc to laugh without holding back. He reaches that goal after a few weeks.

But when Marc does, when he laughs unfiltered and free, Nathaniel…didn’t want to stop. Because watching Marc laugh, smiling with all his teeth and his emerald eyes gleaming when he does… It’s heart-warming. And even kinda cute.

So Nathaniel’s new goal is to make Marc laugh as much as possible, because Marc looks so free and _joyful_ when he does, and the writer deserves to be happy, damn it.

Every giggle or chuckle or laugh the redhead manages to tease from the other’s lips makes Nathaniel’s insides flutter. He feels drunk with the joy he feels from Marc being happy.

He realizes then, oh. He’s got a crush.

Considering how talented and kind and cute Marc is, that was probably inevitable…

* * *

Watching Marc double over in laughter, clutching his belly and cackling, is an experience.

Nathaniel doesn’t even remember what he said, what’d joke he made. The redhead was just being his usual dumb self, bitching about something or other, maybe about the stupidity of comic book characters, or maybe about how he wasn’t looking forwards to turning into a lobster from the heat of Summer.

But whatever he said was the proverbial jackpot.

Marc laughs so hard there’s tears streaming down his face. The writer wipes them away, his fingerless gloves slick, and wheezes to the point that he can’t even speak words anymore.

“You okay…?” Nathaniel asks with a smile, achingly fond, when the other’s laughter finally peters out to something manageable.

Marc giggles, rubbing at the edge of his eyes. His face is flushed pink, his eyes are slightly rimmed red, his mascara has started to run, and he’s smiling so wide his face could split in two. Nathaniel’s heart decides to do a series of cartwheels in his chest at the sight, and his breath catches when Marc’s emerald eyes meet his squarely.

“Y-Yeah…S-sorry, just…pffff…” Marc manages to say, before spluttering out another laugh. “Th-that was, hah, that was too funny. You’re, you’re really funny, Nath.”

The redhead finds his face going warm, and he rubs at the back of his neck. “Heh. Really…?”

Marc just smiles back at him, eyes crinkled. “You always know how to make me laugh. I love that about you.”

Is Nathaniel actually dead…? Because he _swears_ he’s dead, and his spirit is ascending.

The moment seems to stretch between them, Marc so achingly sincere and Nathaniel so ridiculously smitten. The artist’s face is probably matching his hair. He doesn’t even care.

“Oh, gosh, I-I think I…I maybe made my makeup run. Um…” the writer says, finally breaking eye-contact, looking at the dark smudges on his fingertips. His ears are pink, voice faint and embarrassed as he goes on with, “A-And, uh. S-sorry, did I…act kinda weird or…?”

“Weird? What? No!” Nathaniel says quickly, finding his hands waving about.

Marc hums, carefully prodding at his face again, before looking up at Nathaniel through his lashes.

“You…Y-you were staring…”

Oh shit. He was.

“A-and your f-face was red…”

Firetruck blush? Check.

“S-Sorry, that was—it wasn’t an accusation, or, um…Sorry.”

Marc is staring at him. Nathaniel just stares back.

Then Nathaniel opens his mouth, and like a completely braindead idiot, asks, “Do you like anything else about me? I mean, other than me being funny.”

The redhead clamps his mouth shut afterwards, but it’s too late. He’s already said what he said.

At least he hadn’t asked Marc if he _loves_ him. Because that would make things even _more_ complicated.

Marc finally raises his head, frowning back at him in confusion. “O-Of course? You’re…Nathaniel, you’re hardworking, and talented, and loyal. And, and you’re funny, b-but it’s because you’re sarcastic and blunt and, and just…charming…about it…”

The writer’s voice goes quieter as he speaks, until Nathaniel has to lean in slightly to catch everything he says. The words make the artist’s entire body warm and tingle.

Nathaniel finds himself gulping, threading a hand through his hair as he admits, with as much courage as he can muster, “I, uh. I like…like working with you. And making you laugh.” A massive understatement, but he can’t come on too strong. “But I just—I thought that was all I was good for?”

Marc blinks those bright emerald eyes back at him, stunned.

“Oh Nathaniel…” the writer breathes out, before going on, soulfully and gently with, “You do more than make me laugh.”

He feels like someone’s punched the breath from his lungs, in that moment. Nathaniel lets out a nervous and breathless chuckle, face still warm, eyes darting to and fro and nails tapping against his sketchbook. “W-Well, I mean. I know that _now_ …I guess…”

The redhead ends up jolting a bit in his seat when a hand covers his own jittery one. His eyes snap to Marc, noting the other’s tanned cheeks are turning red and the shy way he smiles.

“I like spending time with you. A lot.”

Nathaniel stares in the other’s eyes, and sees the same amount of fondness and love stricken admiration he sees in the mirror whenever he daydreams about his crush.

Oh. _Oh_.

Nathaniel feels a burst of joy envelope him, a swarm of butterflies flying in his stomach and chest.

“Me too,” he says back, hand shaking as he turns it over and squeezes the other’s hand in his. Marc’s hand is a little shaky and clammy, just like his. It’s gratifying to know they’re both equally nervous.

The writer gives a little squeak, eyes wide and face beet-red, but then he’s smiling wide and giggling.

“Y-You, uh,” Nathaniel stutters out, “Y-You wanna, uh, go…w-watch a movie Sunday…?”

“I-I…I, ah,” Marc squeaks, before clearing his throat. “I-I’d love to!”

“Cool,” Nathaniel says with a breathless laugh.

Marc clutches at his hand and gives an equally breathless laugh.

His laughter is music to Nathaniel’s ears.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Me, coming in with what's probably the 20th scenario of these boys confessing to each other? It's more likely than you think.


End file.
